Just an FYI (No Passport Online Renewal

[ZoeyVictoria]

2 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Could not do online renewal.  My check of status on my expedited passport renewal stated 7-9 weeks from start of processing.  They did not officially show it as processing until 5 days after they cashed my check. 

 

I had tracking on it when I mailed it, but it never showed up as received (thank you USPS).  Luckily I had a sigh of relief when they cashed my check, so I knew they had it.  

Gary applied for his passport book via USPS in January, not expedited (previously had only passport card).  It took 32 days for them to cash his check.  He is also now cruising with his birth certificate, but it doesn’t upset him as much because he had only the passport card in the first place and he didn’t have the name changes I did (married, divorced, married, widowed, then the last time there wasn’t a name change with my late SO, thank goodness).
 

I worked for the federal government for many years and receive an annuity from my late DH’s federal retirement, but I have serious reservations about the way governments services are being handled. 

[Galveston Cruiser]

I sent my passport in for renewal on January 31st, check cleared February 6th and received passport on March 9th.  I paid extra for expedited service but not expedited delivery.

Passport not due for renewal until August, but too many cruises before to be comfortable waiting.  Glad I sent in early.

[seapad]

On 3/24/2023 at 10:43 AM, island lady said:

I did go online last week to fill out the form...then printed it and sent it in by mail...certified with tracking (which was a waste of money, since they lost tracking on it), and paid Passport processing extra for the expedited service. 

 

Though USPS failed on their tracking, I did thankfully notice my check cashed.  Now it's just a "wait and see" to find out how long it will take.  

Please let us know when you received. Thanks! 

[SNemeth]

5 hours ago, RFerrington said:

I am most likely going to be in your situation very soon.  My passport expires in June but I have cruises in May and July.  I have everything ready to go for renewal-by-mail, but I am going to wait until we get back from our May cruise on Mariner and then dump everything in the mail.  Doubtful that it will be back in time for my 6 July cruise on Serenade, so most likely I will be sailing with my BC in July.  No changes in name or status to worry about so I should be good.  I just HATE being in this situation.

I think you had better check on whether your passport is good for your May voyage.   Royal Caribbean said that the passport must have an expiration date more than 6 months after the last day of your cruise.  We sail May 21st and son's expires November 19th and we were told the passport would not work.  We could either renew prior to our cruise or cruise with photo ID and birth certificate.  Would stink to get to the port and not be able to board.  

[RFerrington]

1 hour ago, SNemeth said:

I think you had better check on whether your passport is good for your May voyage.   Royal Caribbean said that the passport must have an expiration date more than 6 months after the last day of your cruise.  We sail May 21st and son's expires November 19th and we were told the passport would not work.  We could either renew prior to our cruise or cruise with photo ID and birth certificate.  Would stink to get to the port and not be able to board.  

Thanks for the warning.  I have been sailing with this passport all year (most recently 2 weeks ago) and no problems (so far).  I do get a warning every time I check in for a cruise, warning me that my passport will expire soon but it still lets me check in and no issues at the pier.

 

It is my understanding that as long as you are sailing a closed-loop itinerary from the US, your passport is good until it expires. There are secondary reasons why you might want to have a passport with a minimum of 6 months left, like getting stranded in a foreign country, etc but I’m not too worried about that.  We rarely ever get off the ship !  Plus, I’m a gambler !  I’m going to use this passport until the end of May and then shove it through for renewal.  We have 2 more cruises in April, plus the 1 in May and I intend to use this passport until then.  If something unfortunate happens, I will report back !

 

 

 

[retiredgram]

18 minutes ago, RFerrington said:

Thanks for the warning.  I have been sailing with this passport all year (most recently 2 weeks ago) and no problems (so far).  I do get a warning every time I check in for a cruise, warning me that my passport will expire soon but it still lets me check in and no issues at the pier.

 

It is my understanding that as long as you are sailing a closed-loop itinerary from the US, your passport is good until it expires. There are secondary reasons why you might want to have a passport with a minimum of 6 months left, like getting stranded in a foreign country, etc but I’m not too worried about that.  We rarely ever get off the ship !  Plus, I’m a gambler !  I’m going to use this passport until the end of May and then shove it through for renewal.  We have 2 more cruises in April, plus the 1 in May and I intend to use this passport until then.  If something unfortunate happens, I will report back !

 

 

 

Our passports expired March 3. We used them on our Nov., Dec., Jan. and Feb. cruises. Each time I got the six-month warning.  Could not take the chance of getting them renewed with cruises that close. To be on the safe side, we did take other ID, birth certificates, marriage license and drivers license.

As soon as we returned, we sent off for renewal.  Hopefully we get new passports before we cruise again in the fall.

[island lady]

16 hours ago, seapad said:

Please let us know when you received. Thanks! 

 

Will do...though I won't be able to check my mail until mid June when I get back from Maui.  Guessing my post office will receive around mid May.  I will still be able to check status online with processing. 

[island lady]

17 hours ago, Galveston Cruiser said:

I sent my passport in for renewal on January 31st, check cleared February 6th and received passport on March 9th.  I paid extra for expedited service but not expedited delivery.

Passport not due for renewal until August, but too many cruises before to be comfortable waiting.  Glad I sent in early.

 

Mine does not expire until a year from now, but a Sept. 3 week river cruise I have booked in Europe requires it to be at least six months before expiration.  This was my only window to send it in when I didn't need it right away.  Kind of the pits to have to renew it a year early. 

 

Six months before expiration with months left even after I complete the cruise, .....that is pretty rotten for them to require that IMHO.  😠

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 28, 2023 by island lady

[not-enough-cruising]

15 hours ago, SNemeth said:

I think you had better check on whether your passport is good for your May voyage.   Royal Caribbean said that the passport must have an expiration date more than 6 months after the last day of your cruise.  We sail May 21st and son's expires November 19th and we were told the passport would not work.  We could either renew prior to our cruise or cruise with photo ID and birth certificate.  Would stink to get to the port and not be able to board.  

You were given bad information.  If the cruise allows BC and DL, then there is no 6 month validity rule for the passport in place. 

[Ret MP]

21 minutes ago, island lady said:

Six months before expiration with months left even after I complete the cruise, .....that is pretty rotten for them to require that IMHO.  😠

I find no cogent reasoning by RCCL to have that policy.  As long as it's good, it's good.  It's my responsibility, not theirs.  Yes, there are some countries that do require your passport to be valid for six months upon arriving on their soil. But, make that a company policy for cruises that have itineraries for those countries, not a blanket policy.

 

In fact, just as a point of interest, when I was an investigator for the U.S. Department of Personnel Management, I did security background investigations for government applicants and existing employees.  It was a policy that even expired passports were good for identification, identification only.  The train of thought, an expired passport, or any other form of official government identification didn't change a person's identity, it's just a date among many dates on an identification document, on a form that doesn't change a person's identity.  So, if an expired passport is good for ID, why isn't a non-expired passport not good for travel?  Enquiring minds want to know!

[Ret MP]

6 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

You were given bad information.  If the cruise allows BC and DL, then there is no 6 month validity rule for the passport in place. 

You are 100% right. But, RCCL does have a policy that if it expires within the 6-month time frame, it can't be used to board an RCCL ship!  That doesn't help people that don't have an acceptable birth certificate or one at all.  Also, keep in mind that RCCL doesn't accept photocopies of any required documents, by policy, I can't speak for lazy or untrained employees. 

[island lady]

2 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

I find no cogent reasoning by RCCL to have that policy.  As long as it's good, it's good.  It's my responsibility, not theirs.  Yes, there are some countries that do require your passport to be valid for six months upon arriving on their soil. But, make that a company policy for cruises that have itineraries for those countries, not a blanket policy.

 

In fact, just as a point of interest, when I was an investigator for the U.S. Department of Personnel Management, I did security background investigations for government applicants and existing employees.  It was a policy that even expired passports were good for identification, identification only.  The train of thought, an expired passport, or any other form of official government identification didn't change a person's identity, it's just a date among many dates on an identification document, on a form that doesn't change a person's identity.  So, if an expired passport is good for ID, why isn't a non-expired passport not good for travel?  Enquiring minds want to know!

 

Very good point...and agree completely.  

 

Having to pay for a 10 year passport, that is only good for 9 years?  Not right.  And going through all those delays, cost, and hassle....not something we should have to deal with so often.  

 

Even my DL is good for 10 years...and it is good until the last day!!  

[not-enough-cruising]

59 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

You are 100% right. But, RCCL does have a policy that if it expires within the 6-month time frame, it can't be used to board an RCCL ship!  That doesn't help people that don't have an acceptable birth certificate or one at all.  Also, keep in mind that RCCL doesn't accept photocopies of any required documents, by policy, I can't speak for lazy or untrained employees. 

A passport with less than 6 months validity can be used to board a RCCL ship, myself

and family members have done it on more than one occasion. 

[Ret MP]

1 minute ago, not-enough-cruising said:

A passport with less than 6 months validity can be used to board a RCCL ship, myself

and family members have done it on more than one occasion. 

RCCL says:  

Accepted Identification for U.S. Citizens

• U.S. Passport book that is valid at least 6 months after your cruise ends. A U.S. Passport book is required for sailings that depart from homeports outside of the U.S.

 

I said:

by policy, I can't speak for lazy or untrained employees. 

 

 

[not-enough-cruising]

4 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

RCCL says:  

Accepted Identification for U.S. Citizens

• U.S. Passport book that is valid at least 6 months after your cruise ends. A U.S. Passport book is required for sailings that depart from homeports outside of the U.S.

 

I said:

by policy, I can't speak for lazy or untrained employees. 

 

 

And I am saying it has nothing to do with lazy or untrained employees (excluding those that write the public facing policy documents) 

On a closed loop cruise, a US passport with less than 5 months to expiration is 100% valid and acceptable (exception being cruises stopping in Martinique, I believe) 

 

Why would anyone turn down the ultimate in national ID, but go ahead and accept a birth certificate and drivers license?

 

The policy quoted, is poorly worded, and (intentionally I assume) does not differentiate between different types of cruises and embargoed points. 

Edited March 28, 2023 by not-enough-cruising

[Ret MP]

1 minute ago, not-enough-cruising said:

And I am saying it has nothing to do with lazy or untrained employees (excluding those that write the public facing policy documents) 

On a closed loop cruise, a US passport with less than 5 months to expiration is 100% valid and acceptable (exception being cruises stopping in Martinique, I believe) 

 

Why would anyone turn down the ultimate in national ID, but go ahead and accept a birth certificate and drivers license?

Damn, I'm only posting what RCCL says.  If an employee allows you to board a ship, closed loop or not, and you don't have a birth certificate, it's because they are lazy or untrained.  Show me a policy that says a passport that expires in less than 6 months until expiration is okay, by policy!  

[not-enough-cruising]

3 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Damn, I'm only posting what RCCL says.  If an employee allows you to board a ship, closed loop or not, and you don't have a birth certificate, it's because they are lazy or untrained.  Show me a policy that says a passport that expires in less than 6 months until expiration is okay, by policy!  

No, your right, I can’t direct you to any policy. 

[Ret MP]

16 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

And I am saying it has nothing to do with lazy or untrained employees (excluding those that write the public facing policy documents) 

On a closed loop cruise, a US passport with less than 5 months to expiration is 100% valid and acceptable (exception being cruises stopping in Martinique, I believe) 

 

Why would anyone turn down the ultimate in national ID, but go ahead and accept a birth certificate and drivers license?  The answer to your "Why" question is a good one for RCCL, for sure.

 

The policy quoted, is poorly worded, and (intentionally I assume) does not differentiate between different types of cruises and embargoed points. 

Since you edited in an additional comment:

 

I don't understand what you edited in as it pertains to anything I posted.  I did say that I don't think RCCL needs to make a blanket policy like that.  I also said there are some countries that have expiration requirements but the policy should pertain to them/those ports specifically, again, not a blanket policy.

 

Even though I don't like the policy, I think it is pretty clear.  If you depart from a U.S. homeport, and you don't have an acceptable birth certificate, you must have a passport that doesn't expire within 6 months after completion of the cruise, and doesn't say anything about "Closed Loop".  Again, I don't agree with it, but it is what it is.  AND, if you are a U.S. Citizen and are embarking/initiating a cruise from outside the U.S. you must have a Passport Book, period.  And to be honest, the policy does single out Columbia as a country that has the 6-month rule. So again, I don't understand why the a blanket policy.  

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, Ret MP said:

So again, I don't understand why the blanket policy.

RCI lawyers very likely.

[Ret MP]

1 minute ago, Biker19 said:

RCI lawyers very likely.

100%

 

Also, it's much easier to write a blanket policy.  If you get too pointed/specific, there are too many if's, and's, or but's.    

[seapad]

2 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

You were given bad information.  If the cruise allows BC and DL, then there is no 6 month validity rule for the passport in place. 

what is BC and DL? 

[Ret MP]

3 minutes ago, seapad said:

what is BC and DL? 

Birth Certificate and Drivers License.  

[RedIguana]

On 3/25/2023 at 8:57 AM, not-enough-cruising said:

two words

 

Fed Ex

Unless there has been a change I am unaware of, passport renewals MUST go by USPS. Fed Ex and UPS are not accepted.

[Ret MP]

Deleted.  Big error.

Edited March 28, 2023 by Ret MP

[HappyTexan44]

3 hours ago, Ret MP said:

Even though I don't like the policy, I think it is pretty clear.  If you depart from a U.S. homeport, and you don't have an acceptable birth certificate, you must have a passport that doesn't expire within 6 months after completion of the cruise, a

 

It actually says the reverse.   The 6 month rule is for Americans when the cruise's homeport isn't in the US.  
 

RCCL says:  

Accepted Identification for U.S. Citizens

• U.S. Passport book that is valid at least 6 months after your cruise ends. A U.S. Passport book is required for sailings that depart from homeports outside of the U.S.